


it's nice to have a friend

by chlorue



Series: the weather in chicago [3]
Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Established Relationship, Halloween YALL, I Blame Tumblr, I WILL GO D O W N WITH THE SWEETFACE NICKNAME, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, M/M, Married Couple, Post-Canon, SOBER FIONA, Song: It's Nice to Have a Friend (Taylor Swift), fiona and ian have a talk, ian and fiona's relationship is so important to me, if fiona does come back, im so proud of these bitches, let her be god damn happy, more focused on Ian and Fiona's relationship, yall wanna see some cute halloween shit??, you guys don't know how emotional I got writing this shit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-26
Updated: 2020-05-26
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:02:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24383980
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chlorue/pseuds/chlorue
Summary: They sat there in that dimly lit kitchen. Talking about each other’s embarrassing kid stories. It was quiet and nice. He was finally being open with Fiona. He had spent so much time fighting with her and not enough time loving her for every single fucking thing she did. Now they both sat there proud of each other and finally leaving quarrels aside and taking in each other's warmth.
Relationships: Fiona Gallagher & Ian Gallagher, Ian Gallagher/Mickey Milkovich
Series: the weather in chicago [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1755406
Comments: 1
Kudos: 73





	it's nice to have a friend

October was the month Chicago started to cool down. The heat had started to die down and the cooler weather settled in. October was also Halloween. The kids and adults of the Gallagher house were hyping each other for the last day of the month. Halloween wasn’t always a big deal to the Gallagher kids, they were more busy trying to figure out rent for the month. But now they were all grown and there were kids running around the house that _loved_ the scary holiday. They had one last treat coming for them. 

It was the day before Halloween and Ian was hanging in the kitchen, drinking his second cup of coffee of the day. The house was quiet and calm. Calm before the storm he was going to be dealing with over the next 12 hours. He sighed and took in the quiet. It wasn’t long before he heard the door click. “Ian?” Liam’s voice broke the silence. 

“In the kitchen,” He poked his head into the view of the living room. “You’re home early. Not hanging with Todd?”

Liam sighed and sulked into the kitchen. “Nah, he wants to surprise me for Halloween, won’t let me see him ‘cause he thinks I might spoil his costume.” The young boy flung open the fridge and grabbed the last Coke in there.

“Speaking of, what’s yours?” Ian turned as Liam made his way to the barstools. “Have you made it already?” Ian smiled.

“Yeah, me and Franny are gonna go as peanut butter and jelly.” Liam sighed and sipped the drink in his hands. 

“That is so fucking cute!” Ian beamed. 

“Just being a better uncle than you!” Liam winked and hopped off the stool, making his way up the stairs.

“What the fuck, I’m clearly the best!” Ian called up the stairs and laughed. Another click came from the door followed by the voices of Sandy and Debbie. 

They went to pick up Franny from preschool. “Why don’t you go grab a snack, huh baby?” Debbie’s sweet voice came through. Franny ran into the kitchen only to tackle Ian’s legs when she caught sight of him. “Well, this is a pleasant surprise!” Debbie strutted into the kitchen while Sandy threw her worn out self onto the couch. 

“What do you mean, I live here.” Ian picked up the small Gallagher and booped her nose. “Been livin’ here for 24 years.”

“I know, I’m just saying it’s a surprise because I thought you’d be out with your husband.” Debbie raided the fridge and grabbed a beer. “You know, since you two are all over each other.”

“Well Franny,” Ian said in his baby voice. “I think Mommy here needs to get her eyes checked because she clearly doesn’t see that she is all over Sandy way more, right?” He smiled as Debbie flipped him off and strutted back to her girlfriend.

“All right little one, let’s get you some food, that sound good?” He asked and Franny nodded with a smile. “Yeah, good because I, for one, am _starving_.” He carried her over to one of the barstools. 

This time the back door clicked. “God, I’m going to break a fucking bottle over Josh’s head.” Mickey raged and headed for the fridge. He’d been working in a garage for the past few months. It was great pay and good hours. But sometimes Mickey came home like this. Raged at some co-worker. Mostly this Josh character.

“What’d he do this time?” Ian sighed coming back around for a bowl. Mickey booped Franny’s nose over the counter and smiled. 

“More like what _hasn’t_ he done, god he’s like more stupid than Carl.” Mickey sighed. He grabbed the last beer. 

“Wow, must’ve been really bad this time.” Ian kissed his husband's cheek before heading back around to hand Franny a bowl of oranges. “But I have something that might cheer you up.” He stood behind Franny, playing with her hair.

“Please.”

Ian chuckled before letting out, “Liam and Franny are going as peanut butter and jelly for Halloween!” He patted Franny’s tiny little head.

“That’s the cutest fuckin shit ever.” Mickey kept a semi-straight face.

“Speaking of Mickey, you still going with them?” Debbie asked from the couch. 

“Yes, and you’re welcome by the way!” He replied. “You want to come upstairs, have some fun, get my mind off Josh.” Mickey smirked and sauntered his way over to Ian. 

“Mmm, I would love that.” Ian slowly placed his lips on his husbands. When Ian pulled away, Mickey yanked him up the stairs and towards their room. 

-

Ian looked over at his now sleeping husband. Mickey had always looked so peaceful sleeping. He looked like nothing was bothering him, nothing could touch him while he was asleep. Ian was running his hands through Mickey’s hair. Then Debbie’s voice from downstairs shocked him out of the trance. “Ian! Get down here!”

He sighed and pulled himself up. Grabbing shorts to put on. He stumbled down the living room to see familiar brown curly hair staring back at him from the couch. “Fiona?” He stated, a little dumbfounded. 

The brown hair whipped around to reveal the face of his favorite older sister. The older sister he told not to look back at this shithole. The older sister he’s looked up to for 24 years. The older sister that supported him through his deepest times. Fiona fucking Gallagher was sitting on his couch again. “Sweetface?” Her voice sounded the same. She didn't waste any more time getting up and bolting into Ian’s arms. 

Ian felt the tears already coming. “What are you doing here?” Ian’s voice was on the verge of breaking. 

“I had a few days off and wanted to see my little fuckers again!” Fiona clung to her brother tighter. Ian took her in fully. The smell of lavender vanilla returning to his nose. The softness of her hair. Her voice. He pulled away and took in her face. She was actually here. A part of him was mad, but the majority of him was so _fucking happy._ “You look so good!” Fiona cupped his face as she started to cry. 

“So do you!” He laughed as he started to cry too. She pulled him back into the breathtaking hug. Ian dug his face into Fiona’s shoulder, letting his tears come out. “I’ve missed you so fucking much, you dick.” Ian sighed and Fiona laughed against him.

“Right back at you, bitch!” Fiona pulled away and let out a breathless laugh and smiled at her brother. “You went and got married on me!” She shoved his shoulder and smiled.

“The fuck can I say, I love him,” Ian shrugged as she pulled him to the couch. “But enough about me-” he started, but Fiona interjected.

“We barely said anything!” She laughed.

“What about you? What have you been doing since you left?” Ian beamed. It had been a year since she left the house. Since then the two of them have facetimed, texted, or sent letters to each other. But Ian never got to ask her what she was doing for work.

“Well, if you must know, I’m a real estate agent now.” She flipped her hair over her shoulder. 

“That’s so cool!” Debbie chimed in. Ian gave her a warm smile. He was proud of her. The last time he had heard about her was from Lip when he was in prison. Lip had told him what had been happening with Fiona;s buildings and her drinking problem. She looked like she had gotten her life back on track. 

“You still going to AA?” Debbie asked. Ian almost forgot what Lip had done for her. He got her to go to AA meetings. 

“Yes, let me tell you being sober is very hard.” She put her hands up and laughed. “I’m almost a year sober though!” The house erupted into cheers. Debbie stood up and clapped, Sandy cheered, and Ian pulled her back into a hug. 

“That’s fucking amazing Fiona, be proud.” Ian kissed the top of his sister's head. 

“I am Ian, I am.” Fiona sucked in a breath and smiled. She pulled out of the hug and patted Ian’s shoulder before returning to a conversation with Debbie and Sandy. Ian relaxed into the couch watching Fiona. She had grown up so much in the past year. She’s sober, she’s got a great job, she looks like she got her life back together. Fiona wasn’t the entirely same sister who stayed up with him when he had chicken pox, she wasn’t the sister who would help him with his homework when Frank or Monica were passed out somewhere in the house. She was Fiona, and Ian couldn’t be more proud. “So, tell me the room situation in this house now.” Fiona snapped him out of his thoughts. 

“Well, Ian and Mickey got the boys room all to themselves, Carl got Lip’s old room, Liam has my old room and I have your old room.” Debbie explained. Fiona suddenly had Franny in her arms. 

“I guess I’m sleepin on the couch,” She told Franny. “I’m only here for 3 days, then I’m back off to New York.” Fiona smiled. 

“New York!” Debbie exclaimed. Ian laughed, Fiona had shown him pictures of her apartment and her view a few months ago. She also said the bagels there were to die for. 

“Yeah, you’d love it down there Debs.” Fiona smiled. 

“You must be pretty tired from flying all day Fi, we’ll let you get some sleep,” Ian stood up and patted Fiona’s head. “All right, everyone back to bed please!” He ushered Sandy and Debbie upstairs. Debbie got Franny back before running upstairs with Sandy. Fiona was already shredding her sweatshirt and pulling her hair up. 

“Go to bed Ian, I know where everything is still, you don’t need to worry about me, worry about that lonely husband up there.” She winked and Ian yawned. “I’ll see you tomorrow sweetface.”

-

Halloween morning was a lot. Ian was in the kitchen talking with Mickey and Sandy when Franny tackled Ian’s legs. “Hey Fran!” He bent down to pick up the toddler and sat her on the counter. “You excited for tonight?” Franny nodded her head vigorously. 

“All right little one,” Mickey got off the barstool and went to face her. “Let’s go get ready for school.” He spun her off the counter and walked out of the kitchen. Ian watched how good his husband was with kids and smiled. Ian saw the lump of the couch slowly rise up. Fiona’s same ‘FUCK OFF’ sleep mask being able to be seen over the mess of hair. 

“Morning Fiona!” Mickey said and walked up the stairs. Fiona groggily waved back. 

“I forgot about how loud this house sometimes,” Fiona slowly stood up. She raised her arms up in stretch and threw off her mask. “You got coffee in there?” She slowly made her way to the kitchen. Ian grabbed the full mug he made for her and handed it to her. 

“Hope it’s not too different from the Starbucks you’re used to,” Ian smirked and Fiona flipped him off in return. “Just kidding.”

Fiona smiled into the warm coffee and Debbie and Mickey came down the kitchen stairs. “Are you sure I can’t come and help?” Debbie asked, throwing her hand bag over her shoulder. 

“We’ll be fine Peppermint Patty, go have fun on your date with Sandy.” Mickey patted her shoulder. 

“You look very pretty Debs.” Fiona smiled. Debbie was sporting a yellow cropped sweatshirt with black leggings. Her red hair was pulled into a high ponytail.

“Thanks Fiona!” Debbie smiled. Franny came hopping down the stairs with her backpack. “All right, let’s head out baby! We’ll be back!” Debbie picked up her daughter and Sandy followed after them to the front door.

“So are Debbie and Sandy a thing?” Fiona asked. Mickey reached for Ian’s mug and he handed it to him. Ian nodded and smiled. “Nice, how are you two?” Fiona sipped the coffee.

“We’re good, and to think Frank didn’t try to ruin our wedding. He actually lent us a car.” Ian smiled. Fiona cringed at the thought of her almost wedding with Sean. “Both got steady jobs on parole.”

“That’s great, i’m really happy for you guys. You guys made it.” Fiona sighed and smiled. Ian reached to squeeze his husband's hand. 

“Speaking of jobs, I should get going or i’m gonna be late,” He ran to put the mug in the sink and kissed Ian’s lips. “Love you. I will be back to take Franny tonight. And meds Ian!” Mickey rambled as he left through the back door. 

“Fuck,” Ian bolted up right and headed for the cabinet. “I should do that. Hey Fi, can you grab my lithium upstairs?” Ian said as he opened the other two bottles. Fiona nodded and ran up the stairs. She showed back in 5 seconds and threw him the bottle of pills. “Thanks.”

“Hey where are Carl and Liam? I know Lip is with Fred at the house, but where are those two rascals?” Fiona placed herself at the barstools and sighed back into the coffee.

“Well Carl is on vacation with his girlfriend, and Liam left before you got up, he knows you’re here though.” Ian placed himself next to her. “Him and Franny are going trick-or-treating together tonight.” Ian smiled. 

“Oh, is that what Mickey and Debbie were talking about?” 

“Yes, Mickey is their supervisor.”

“Are you going with them?”

“Nah, I’m just pulling out of an episode and I haven’t felt good for a bit, so Mick wants me to stay home and feel better.” Ian sighed remembering his rough few weeks. “I’m fine though, don’t start worrying because we both know that is cause you to stay here and we made a deal.” He shoved her. 

“Well, don’t worry because I might’ve said I had a few days off, but I have a potential buyer meeting me at Patsy’s, so I gotta go get dressed.” She threw herself off the chair and kissed Ian’s cheek. 

-

That night Lip and Tami visited to say hi to Fiona. Liam and Franny were running around the house trying to get ready for the big night ahead of them. Debbie and Sandy had already left for their date night. Ian sat criss cross on the couch with a water bottle in his hand talking and playing with Mickey’s hair. Mickey was sitting on the floor in front of Ian braiding Franny’s hair. Fiona was in the kitchen on the phone. 

“Alright little red, go get your costume on and get Liam.” Mickey tapped the little girl's head and she bolted towards the stairs. Mickey lifted himself to sit next to Ian. “You sure you’re gonna be okay here with Fiona?”

“I’m sure, Fi’s my sister and I’ve missed her. I think this could be good.” Ian rested his head on Mickey’s shoulder. “Thank you for worrying though. You need this night out, you’ve been cooped up with my ass for the past 2 weeks, go have fun, I’ll be fine.” 

Mickey kissed his head and sighed. They sat like that for a few seconds when Franny and Liam appeared in front of them. Franny looked like a little jar of jelly and Liam was a jar of peanut butter. Ian beamed. “You are so fucking cute!” 

Mickey threw himself up. “Are you two ready?” Mickey smiled. Liam and Franny nodded. “Well then let’s get going.” Franny ran to the door followed by Liam. Mickey turned to kiss his husband’s lips. 

The door clicked leaving Ian sitting alone on the couch. Fiona was still on the phone at the kitchen table. He walked in the dimly lit kitchen and leaned against the door frame as she slammed the phone on the table and threw her hands up. “Fucking finally!” She cheered.

“Good news?” Ian asked. Fiona jumped a little from the sound of his voice. 

“Yes,” Fiona sighed and ran her hands through her hair. “I got one of my big buyers to take my advice and buy a property, thank fucking god.” 

Ian pulled into a chair and smiled. “Well look at you, Ms. Business Woman!”

Fiona flipped both sides of her hair and smiled. “Why thank you!”

“I’m proud of you Fiona-”

“I know Ian.”

“No, I am like extremely proud of you. The last time I saw you before our prison visit, we were fighting and when I heard what had been happening to you, I knew you would be able to get through it with the right push. I know how hard working and stubborn you are. You push people to open up to you because you want to help them. I just never wanted to open up and I know how much that angered you. But I didn’t really open up when I was a teenager, and I know you didn’t either. You have always been there for me, when my life hit a really rocky path, the first time I crashed, and you were with me throughout my entire prison shit. Sometimes I ask myself why were always fuckin’ fighting. We’re very alike. And seeing how you’ve grown, I feel like I’m the one who is apologizing ‘cause you were only always trying to help and I thank you.” Ian rambled. 

Fiona was already taking Ian’s hand in hers and her eyes were filling up with tears. “Don’t say shit like that or I’m gonna wanna stay.”

“You better not.” Ian started crying as well. 

They sat there in that dimly lit kitchen. Talking about each other’s embarrassing kid stories. It was quiet and nice. He was finally being open with Fiona. He had spent so much time fighting with her and not enough time loving her for every single fucking thing she did. Now they both sat there proud of each other and finally leaving quarrels aside and taking in each other's warmth. 


End file.
